Friction shock-absorbing mechanism



7 Feb. 28, 1928. 1,660,574 J. F. O'CONNOR FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM 1 Filed March 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. F- OCONNOR FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM I Feb. 28, 1928.

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' UNITED 's'rnrEs CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORQPORATION 0F LDELAW'ARE;

JOHN F. O'CONNOR, or oHIoAGo., ILLI1 ioIs, AssieNoR To H. Minna, rim, or-

FRICTION srroo -ABsonBmo ME IiANISM,

Application filed March 12, 1927. een no. 174,729. v

This invention relates to improvements in friction shock absorbingmechanisms.

One object of the lnvention to provide a friction shock absorbing mechanism espe-- cially adapted for railway draft-riggings, including a spring. cage, having a frictlon shell section at one end thereof provided with opposed friction surfaces with whicha pair of friction shoes co-operate, the shoes being engaged by a wedge member and having their movement resistedby twin ,ar-

ranged springs disposed within the spring cage, wherein means of except onal strength is provided in the form of a pair of retainer bolts for anchoring the wedge to the spring cage, the bolts being disposed opposite sides of the wedge, thereby maintaining true contact between the wedge and shoes and concentrating the forces close to the walls of the shell, the bolts also extending longitudinally through the centers of the twin arranged springs, thereby permitting the use of relatively heavybolts without reducing the available spring space of the cage.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully and clearly appear. from thedescriptionand claims hereinafter following. 1 V v H f In the drawings, forming apart of. this specification, Figure l is a horizontal, longitudinal-sectionalview of a portion of a.

. railway draft rigging showing my improvements in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a .front end elevational view of the shock absorbing mechanism proper. Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view corresponding substantially to the line 3- -3 of Figure 1. Figure lis a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the front end portion of the shock absorbing mechanism proper,

' corresponding substantially to the line H of Figure 1, And Figures 5 and 6 are de tailed, perspective views of a liner and one of the friction shoes employed in connection with my improvedmechanism.

In. said drawings, 1010, shapedpenter or draftsills of a railway car underfraine, to the inner sides of which' are secured the usual front stop lugs11-+11 and rear stop lugs 12 -12. The'inner end of the draw-bar is designated by 13, to which is operatively connected a yoke is of well known form. The shock absorbing mechanism proper and a front main follower 15 are disposed withinthe yoke. The yoke and indicate channel thepartstherewithin are, supported in 'op 16 fixed tothe. draft sills. r y. improved shock absorbing mechanism erative position by, a detachable saddleplate a proper comprises broadly:'. A spring cage A; a pair. of liners B B; a main wedge block Q; two friction shoes D andE; twin 7 arrangedmain springs F -F ;a pair of retainer bolts GGr; and a Splfingfollower H.

The spring cage A is in the form ,of a substantially hollow. rectangular box-like casting having longitudinally disposed spaced vertical sidewalls. 17 17 longitudinally exarethickened as indicatedat 118. The thickened portions 118- ofthe side walls are ver-' tically slotted (to provide, seats 119-1l9 which co-operate with the liners B to anchor thelinerstothe cage A against longitudinal movement, I v i The liners B, are two in-numheri' and are disposed atopposite sides of the cage; Each off the, liners B is in the .formof a heavy sub -.stantially ,plate-like member having a flat inner surface 20 adapted to co-operate ,With the correspondingfriction shoe. The opposed surfaces 20 ofthe liners B are preferably convergedinwardly of themechanism as most clearly, shown.-in .Figure ;1. Onthe inner side,- the rear end portion'of' each liner B is cut away asindicated at 2 1'to provide clearance for .the router coil of the. corresponding twin. arranged springs, As most clearly shown in Figure 5, each liner B has j top and bottom rearwardly extending arms cut. away; Theinner facesof the armsfi22 form continuations of the friction surface engage withinthe correspondingseat 119 of the adjacent side wall 118 of ithelcage;

- 22-22whioh are left, due to theliner-being Thelugs23 o'fithe liners snugly fitthe seats 119 so'tha't the liners are-f positively held againstlongitudinal movement with respect to the cage; J

The wedge block O. isin the form of a cored hollow casting having a flat transverseffront endfacebearingdirectly on the inner side of the main follower 15. At the inner end, the block O is provided with a pair of inwardly converging wedge faces 24 and 25, the'wedge face 24 being disposed at a relatively keen Wedge acting angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the mechanism, and the wedgeface 25 beingdisposed at a relatively blunt releasing angle with respect to said axis. i 5

The two frictionshoes D and E are interposed between the w'edge'C and the liners B. The two shoes' D and Ears ofsimilar design except as hereinafter pointed out. Each shoe isiprovided with an-outer longitudinally' disposed flat friction surface 26 ,adaptedto co-'operatewith the friction sur face of the corresponding liner B. On the inner side,'each' shoe is provided witha lateral enlargement 27 having a'wedge face on the forward side thereof. 1 The wedge face of the shoe D is j designated by 28 and co-operat'es with the wedge face '24 of the block C and is correspondingly inclined thereto.

wedge face of the block C and is, correspondingly inclined thereto. At the inner end, each shoe is cut away as indicated'at 30 in Figured-thereby leaving'top and bottom rearward extensions 31-31. The cut away section 30 is of such a size as .to accommodate theouter coil of the corresponding set of the twin arranged main springs F. Each blockis also provided with a central recess 32 at the inner end of the enlargement to {provide a seat for the front end of'the inner coil of the corresponding set of twin springs. By providing the shoes with the rearwardly extending arms 31, relatively long friction surfaces which cooperate with the friction surfaces of the liners are provided. At'the sametime, the

i cutting away of the shoes at their inner fective area of the friction surfaces of the ends and the" cutting away of the liners as indicated at 21 permits of spring resistance elements of maximum length being employed, without materially reducing theefshoes and I liners.

' Thespring follower H: is in the form of arelatively heavy plate having rounded ends working within the cutaway portions 21 of the two liners B 'The plate H is of such a height asito be accommodated be-v tween the arms 31 of thefrictionshoes.

"The main spring resistance .elements'F comprise two sets of twin-arranged coils, each set including a relatively heavy outer spring-132' having its opposite ends bearing on the end wall of the spring cage A and the spring follower Hfandhlighter inner j'coil 33 having its rear end bearing on a hollow boss 34 projecting forwardly from the end wall of the spring cage. -As clearly shown in Figural, two'bosses 34 are em- The wedge face of the shoe E is designated by 29 and cooperates-' with ployed, one of which co-operates with each inner member of the twin arranged springs F. The forward end of the inner coil 33 of each member of the twin arranged springs bears directly on the corresponding friction shoe and engages within the seat 32 thereof." As most'clearly shown in Figure 1, the spring follower H is provided with a pair of openings 35 adapted to freely accommodate the front ends of the inner coils of the springs. v 1 l The wedge block C is anchored to the spring cagefby a pair of retainer bolts G 'di'sposedat opposite sides oft-he mechanism.

the mechanism assembled,'the retainer bolts also serve to maintain the springs under in- 1t1al compression, thereby compensating for weal-30f the variousv friction and Wedgev faces, the sprmg followers-H being spaced fromthe front end walls of the cut out sections'2l of the liners B to permit of the forward movement of the spring follower to allowthe shoes D and E to be moved forward as the parts become worn.' By, disposing the retainer boltson the. opposite shoes D and E. By providing" the two re- The head sides ofthe mechanism, the wedge C is held in true contact with the wedge} faces of the tainer bolts, an unusually-rugged means is provided for holding the wedge assembled.

with the spring cage, it being evident that in disposing the retainer bolts axially within the'springs, themaximum diameter of] bolts may be utilized. 5 I

'sorbing mechanism, assuming a compression stroke, 15 as follows: The "ma1nfollower 15 andthe spring cage A. will'be moved relatively toward each-"other," thereby forcing the wedge C inwardly'ofthe cage, carrying the shoes inwardly therewith against the resistance of the springs F 'and 'wedging thefshoes apart: I forced into intimate frictional contact with thefriction surfaces; of the-liners'B. The

described 1 action .will continue either until the actuating force is reduced orthe front follower 15 engages the outerend-iof the springcage, whereupon the actuating force will be transmitted directly through the spring cage, thelatter actingas a solid-colv.

umn load transmittingmember. -Upo1irehe operation ofmy improved shock-ab} I The shoes will thus. be j lease, expansion of the spring'resistance elements will force the shoes-and spring follower H outwardly, carrying the wedge therewith, until the latter is arrested by the retainer bolts G.

By cutting away the inner ends of the friction shoes and the rear portions of the liners springs of maximum length and di- 7 ameter may be employed, thereby greatly increasing the capacity of the gear over gears in which the shoes and liners are not so formed. It, will further be evident that by providing the shoes with arms which ex tend rearwardly and by cutting away only the central portions of the liners, elongated cooperating surfaces are provided on both the liners and the friction shoes, thereby prolonging'the life'of these parts.

IVhile I have hereinshown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, the same is merely illustrative, and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within central wedge block having ,wedge faces at opposite sides thereof engaging the shoes;

twin arranged coil springs within the cage opposing inward movement of the shoes; a pairof retainer'bolts anchored to the wedge and cage, said bolts being disposedwithm and extending through thecoils of said twin springs respectively and anchored to the wedge at said opposite sides thereof.

2. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a spring cage of rectangular cross-section; of a pair of liners removably attached -to the opposite side walls thereof, said liners presenting inwardly converging fr ctionsurfaces; a pair of friction shoes co-operating with thelliners,

the liners being of such length as to provide bearing for the friction shoes throughout the perm ssible compresslon stroke ofthe mechamsm; a central wedge block engaging the shoes; means for anchoring the wedge block to the spring cage; a spring follower coy operating with the shoes; twin'arranged sets of springs within the "cage and occupying substantially the entire available spring space thereof, each comprising an lnner coil bearing directly on the friction shoesand an outer coil bearing on the spring follower, the inner ends of the liners being cut away to-acc ommodatethe sides of the outer coils of the twin arranged springs and also to accommodate the, opposite sides of the spring 7 follower. 1

In witness that I claim theforegoing I V have hereuntosubscribed my name "this 9th day of March 1927.

JOHN OCONNOR. 

